How does Ignatian Spirituality, with its gifts of discernment and deep listening, inform our understanding of Synodality - walking together - a new model for Church?

During the pandemic, Pope Francis presented us with a new image of church: that, no matter who we were, we were together in the same boat.  The worldwide Synod process came out of that desire to engage with our changing world and with those on the margins to regain a renewed sense of purpose and mission.  However, putting this into practice is not so simple.  As a Church, we don't necessarily have good ways of listening to voices on the margins and connecting to people's lives.  We struggle to have difficult or creative conversations, and to step away from our own agendas. In many ways we have lost the habit of seeking the Holy Spirit, and we are often paralysed by indecision.  Pope Francis challenges us to become a listening, engaged church, through becoming more synodal. 

Specifically this means:

• Actively responding to our changing world – reading the signs of the times

• Learning how to hold prayerful, truthful and safe conversations which value gracious listening and courageous speaking

• Consciously seeking the Holy Spirit's inspiration

• Being compelled to action by the stories we’ve heard

Although this sounds complicated, synodality is a way of being community which has been part of the Church since the very beginning (Council of Jerusalem, Acts 15).  We have ancient tools of lectio divina and spiritual conversation which, when done well, can be transformative.  In the past year, as we have grown in confidence in this new way of being, synodality has been used to resolve contentious issues in parishes; to look for creative solutions to diocesan finances; and even to create safe listening spaces in response to clergy sex abuse. The result of becoming synodal, of truly encountering one another heart-to-heart, is a new sense of purpose. Grounded in the vocation of all the baptised, this purpose brings people together, helps prioritise finances and resources, allows people's gifts to flourish and enables us to take risks for the Kingdom.  In Pope Francis’ words, we move from being “zombie Christians” to “a caravan of solidarity” (Evangeli Gaudium, 83, 87) where all are welcome, all loved, all known.

Because this represents a significant shift in our culture, and is not a straight-forward undertaking, we offer a four step process modelled on the Council of Jerusalem, the first time the Church faced an intractable problem.  We follow the disciples from disagreement to silence and story-telling, and then to discerning the Holy Spirit.  Once the Spirit is discerned, the Church is compelled to action.  There is much that we can learn from this example for the Church today.  We must also become aware of new skills to learn, bad habits to break, and dispositions to cultivate. 

Start 2023 with clarity with the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius to work through a 30-week period at any time that suits you.

For those people who are focused on prayer and who desire to deepen their relationship with God, one way of making the Exercises is through the 19th Annotation, also known as The Retreat in Daily Life.

One of the advantages of the Retreat in Daily Life is that the person is able to live and work in their own environment and yet still pray and make the Retreat over a period of approximately 30+ weeks.

CLC WA presents its March Gathering 2023 to celebrate World CLC Day. This year we are offering a wonderful speaker in Sue Martin who will be speaking on “Growing in our Care of Creation”.

Venue: Holy Rosary Parish Hall, 46 Tyrell St, Nedlands, WA 6009

Speaker: Sue Martin - please see flyer for Bio

RSVP: Lyn Bloom - please see Flyer below

Click here for more details.

We warmly welcome all who seek a time of reflection, rest, spiritual conversation, contemplation and prayer at Sevenhill Retreat in the Clare Valley.

To celebrate the Feast of Saint Ignatius of Loyola on Sunday 31 July 2022, you are invited to join together at the Our Lady of Grace Parish Church, 3 Kitchener Street, North Beach to participate in the 9:30 am Mass there.

In this Ignatian Year celebrating 500 years since the conversion of St Ignatius, members of the Perth Christian Life Community lead a day of prayer and reflection on Monday 21st March 2022.

CLC WA is organising a reflective walk in King’s Park to celebrate the Season of Creation which is a time to slow down and focus on what matters. During this special time each year, we repair and restore our relationships with each other and with all creation.

Join us in this season of creation on Sunday, September 19th meeting at the DNA tower in King’s Park at 10 am.

Today Mario Bugna will share his insights into the benefits and courage of gratitude as an attitude. Anne Zevis will the speak about the Uluru statement from the heart and the opportunities and actions from this.

CLC WA Reflective Walk at the Spectacles in south of Perth

This Seminar will apply the practice of Ignatian Discernment as a response to our current national crises, particularly the recent extensive Australian bushfire crisis and COVID-19. Participants will be guided through a process that addresses such questions as: How relevant are my feelings about this? What is God’s response? What can I/we possibly do?

Putting on the Mind of Christ - “An introduction to the Science and Art of Discernment”